Itâ€™s official. Winter is over. Yup, that was way too easy. I think I only wore my winter boots once and, frankly, I definitely did it for the sake of wearing them (knowing my luck, we’ll get 10 inches in mid-April).Â For those who arenâ€™t sure that our planetâ€™s climate is changing, you obviouslyÂ live under a rock.

One other spring activity that comes to mind is Americaâ€™s first pastime, baseball. If you havenâ€™t heard, and judging by last year attendance and the general stature of the team you probably havenâ€™t, our good old Washington Nationals are finally ready to be a team worth mentioning.

They’ve got some pitching, a few bats for the middle of the order, and actual defense. Â Most importantly, the division seems in flux. With baseballâ€™s new playoff system, there is actually a slim chance that DC could see itâ€™s first-ever October baseball! As someone who watched their inaugural season at RFK for $5 a seat, this is quite a step up. Â Sure, the Phillies and the newly namedÂ Miami Marlins will be good, but this baseball season, anything can happen.

Opening day in DC is April 12Â against the Cinncinati Reds but they also have a home exhibition game April 5Â against the Boston Red Sox. Tickets are always available, its right on the green line, and the food/drinks are quite tasty/bit pricey. So, dust off your “W” hat, look up Navy Yard on your Metro map app, and get excited because baseball will be back soon.

In case you were curious how the rest of the town is doingâ€¦

Capitals, Hockey:Â Ovi is still Ovi but this team is hanging on the edge between playoffs and going golfing in April. If they do somehow make it, expect a first round blowout to the dominant New York Rangers or Sidney Crosby’s revived Pittsburgh Penguins. On the bright side, Ovi has a humerous March Madness bracket.

Wizards, Basketball:Â Woof. No doubt that the best basketball team in the district this year was the Georgetown Hoyas. Just read this article from USA Today describing Washington as the place where coaches come to get fired. Quite telling, I thought.

Redskins, Football:Â DC is already getting excited for their franchise quarterback. Â Â And who knows? Maybe with all of the new talent they signed, and Rex Grossman not running the offense, they may compete. As every local fan tells me, they did beat the Super Bowl champion Giants twice last season. I thought this small scandalÂ was a bit strange, unsure how to react. Would love a fresh take on this…

D.C. United, Soccer:Â Saw this. Trying to get excited. Looking to see a game soon, review to come.

Whatâ€™s on My Mind

I saw Hunger Games (didnâ€™t read the book) and liked it. As long as this series doesnâ€™t become the next Harry Potter in terms of fandom, I’m looking forward to more movies.

The Washington Nationals have played at Nationals Park since opening day in 2008. Prior to that, they played at RFK Stadium for three seasons. Located at 1500 South Capitol Street SE, it seats 41,000 fans. (Scott Liebowitz)

What is the best way to measure one U.S. city against another? Is it public transportation, homegrown culture, or nightlife? While sure these things are important, I’d venture to say that some of this countryâ€™s best cities are the ones home to great baseball teams. Thus, based on that gauge, D.C. isâ€¦ wellâ€¦ pending a championship run, doomed for a life of “just okay.”

Let’s take a few steps back. D.C.’s last baseball team, the old Washington Senators, were so bad that their unofficial tag line was, â€śWashington Senators: First in War, First in Peace, and last in the American League.â€ť (In 1960, the Senators moved to Minnesota where they currently have die-hard fans.) Where do the Nats come in? After years of nothing but Redskins football, in 2004, D.C. began an aggressive anti-Canadian campaign and stole theÂ Montreal Expos Â in the middle of the night (kidding, the league helpedÂ too). Baseball returned to the nation’s capital and here we are today.

Here are some suggestions of things to do during the weekend in Borderstan, really close by or in the city.

1409 Playbill Cafe, 1409 14th Street, NW. (Photo: Luis Gomez)

Fox & Hounds, 1537 17th Street, NW. (Photo: Luis Gomez)

1409 Playbill Cafe, at 1409 14th Street NW is a favorite hangout for locals. It is also a good cheap spot for before or after the theater: basic diner food and a neighborhood bar and laid-back atmosphere… always amusing.

Fox & Hounds, at 1537 17th Street NW, is where you can drink and eat slowly. It is a great spot to sit and enjoy a drink with friends. The patio is superb and the bar is always good for a game on TV.

“Eclipsed” is playing at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D Street NW: “Eclipsed exposes how much an individualÂ sacrifices to survive wartime atrocities. The ways these characters respond to trauma and empower themselves can be seen in conflict zones around the world.”

“Constructed Color: Amish Quilts” is at The Textile Museum, 2320 S Street NW: “Amish quilts are among the most striking and famous of all American quilt types. Renowned for their play of color and strong geometric patterns, their similarities to modern art have been noted ever since the 1971 exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York entitled Abstract Design in American Quilts. The parallels are perhaps most striking with regard to color field paintings and art that explores the manipulation of visual effect.”

The Annual Labor Day Concert in Washington is on Sunday, September 6, at the U.S. Capitol (west lawn). The National Symphony Orchestra will perform at 8 p.m. The concert is free and tickets are not required. In case of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.